Good habits for school success

Here are some tips and techniques that families can use to help improve this school year.

Feed the body and the mind. Just as students feed their minds with the many lessons learned at school, they should never forget to also fuel their bodies with a well-balanced diet. Poor nutrition can cause energy levels to sag, therefore having a trickle-down effect on attention levels and classroom performance.

If time is always an issue in the morning, consider meals they can eat on the way to school. Yogurt-and-fruit-based smoothies, breakfast bars and instant oatmeal are just some ideas.

Put pride in appearance. A student who dresses slovenly may give off the false impression that he or she is haphazard in attitude about schoolwork, when really the attire is just the student’s way of self-expression. Encourage children to always put their best foot forward – advice that should follow through to adulthood and a business career.

Give organization an overhaul while considering a child’s personality and preferences. Is he a visual person? Think about color-coding folders and notebooks according to subject so work is seldom confused or overlooked. Is she a budding techie? Invest in a personal digital assistant that she can use to store assignment lists and class schedules.

Parents can also create an “in” and “out” system. Kids simply drop in papers that need to be reviewed or signed, then the parent slips them in the “out” box when they’re completed. This way everyone in the house knows where to look for important school items. A storage cubby or a coat hook can also be designated for each child’s backpack, lunchbox or any other pertinent school items.

These are just some of the many ways a family can develop a system that works well for the entire household throughout the school year.